Tom Fitzgerald Comments On Jesper Bratt's Contract Situation
Devils winger Jesper Bratt is one of eight remaining restricted free agents around the league. GM Tom Fitzgerald spoke with reporters today; Catherine Bogart of New Jersey’s team website provided Fitzgerald’s update on the status of negotiations with the 22-year-old:
Blackwood recently inked a three-year, $8.4MM deal coming off of his entry-level contract, the same situation that Bratt finds himself in. He has had between 32 and 36 points in each of his three NHL seasons and had a career-high 16 tallies in 2019-20. Even if they can come to terms in the next day or two, it’s unlikely that the Devils will have Bratt in the lineup on opening night as he will have to get his work visa, fly over from Sweden, and go through mandatory quarantine protocols before being cleared to suit up.
What Your Team Is Thankful For: New Jersey Devils
We’ve now made it past Thanksgiving and are firmly in the holiday season. Like the last few years, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for but this year comes with a bit of a change. Normally teams would have an idea of where their season was heading, coming up on the one-quarter mark with mountains of statistics to analyze. Instead, in this unprecedented year, the season hasn’t even begun. We’ll still take a look at what each group is excited about and what they could hope for as the calendar turns to 2021.
What are the Devils most thankful for?
The future down the middle.
While they don’t have the best of rosters on paper and are faced with playing a season in the extremely deep East Division, there is cause for optimism in New Jersey. Nico Hischier has had some ups and downs but the 2017 top pick is a core piece that’s locked up for the long haul. Jack Hughes’ rookie season wasn’t the greatest but the expectation remains that he’ll rebound and give them a potent one-two punch that many teams would love to have if they can both reach their potential. Pavel Zacha continues to show gradual improvement while Michael McLeod has shown flashes of upside in his first NHL stints. An entirely homegrown center group (all of first-round picks, no less) is something that is rare to see but
Who are the Devils most thankful for?
Given that Hischier and Hughes are their building blocks of the future, either one of them would be a logical choice but that’s too simple. Goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood was a full-time NHL player for the first time last season and the results were certainly encouraging. He posted a goals against average (2.77) and save percentage (.915) that were above the NHL average despite the fact that the Devils allowed the third-most goals in the league and finished in last in the Metropolitan Division by a notable margin. With Cory Schneider not panning out (and ultimately being bought out), Blackwood gives New Jersey hope that he can be the long-term goalie of the present and future and be another of those core building blocks.
What would the Devils be even more thankful for?
A contract extension for Kyle Palmieri.
While the focus is justifiably on the future, the present still matters and the veteran is one of the more consistent scoring wingers in the league, ranging from 24 to 30 goals in each of the last five seasons. While the UFA market wasn’t too kind to wingers this year, consistency still matters which will certainly bolster his value if he happens to make it there. The 29-year-old is in the final season of his deal which carries a $4.65MM AAV and while it’s doubtful that he could command a max-term extension of eight years, he should still be in line for a decent-sized raise. If this isn’t at the top of the priority list for GM Tom Fitzgerald, it will need to be as if they can’t come to terms on a new deal in the next few months, Palmieri will almost certainly be among the most sought-after players by the trade deadline.
What should be on the Devils’ holiday wish list?
Everything but goaltending which is set with Blackwood and veteran Corey Crawford. Fitzgerald has added to his back end over the offseason with the pickups of Ryan Murray and Dmitry Kulikov but it’s still a group that could stand to be improved both in terms of adding a top-four option and overall depth.
Up front, New Jersey was just outside of the bottom five in goals scored last season and haven’t done much to improve on that front with the addition of middle-six winger Andreas Johnsson in a cap dump from Toronto. While this is shaping up to be a season to evaluate some of their younger players, adding a veteran or two to help ease the prospects into those regular roles certainly wouldn’t hurt.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Graeme And Brandt Clarke Loaned To Slovakia
With the OHL still waiting to begin their season and some uncertainty about if and when they will get started, a pair of notable brothers are headed elsewhere to get back to playing. HC Nove Zamky of the Slovakian Extraliga announced that Graeme and Brandt Clarke have been acquired on loan from the Ottawa 67’s and Barrie Colts, respectively. The lucky club lands a recent third-round pick and a player most expect to be selected in the top five of the 2021 NHL Draft.
Graeme, 19, was selected by the New Jersey Devils in the 2019 draft. The talented winger is eager to get back on the ice after missing all but 16 games last season. He did however score at a better than point-per-game pace in that limited action and has the potential to develop into a dangerous scorer if he can stay healthy.
However, the prize of the Clarke family is likely to be Brandt. The 17-year-old right-shot defenseman impresses in all areas of the game, including recording 38 points in 57 games as an OHL rookie last season. With size and skill to go with those results, Brandt has emerged as one of the top prospects in the 2021 class, potentially even a candidate to be selected first overall.
With Zamky, the Clarke brothers could easily become the team’s top two players, even in their first pro experience. The Slovakian Extraliga lacks much in the way of world-class talent and Zamky in particular does not currently roster anyone with NHL or even AHL experience. The club is currently in the middle of the pack in Slovakia, but the addition of two elite, young players could give them a major boost, regardless of whether the Clarkes return to the OHL in a couple months or not.
Minor Transactions: 12/24/20
‘Twas the month before hockey and all over the Earth,
Fans are excited for a new season’s birth;
There was quite a delay to the new league year,
‘Til the NHL announced that it was practically here;
Of course, before we get started in just a few weeks,
Rosters are in need of numerous tweaks;
And as teams maneuver a salary cap squeeze,
Free agents also continue to find work overseas;
So stay tuned for some moves before the return to play;
From the NHL to KHL to NCAA;
Here are the minor transactions that were made today:
- Free agent goaltender Ivan Nalimov has decided to remain in Europe for another season. The Chicago Blackhawks prospect, if you can still call him that at 26 years old, has previously expressed an interest in making the jump to North America. In fact, at one point he had requested that Chicago trade his rights to a team willing to give him an opportunity. Yet, for whatever reason, Nalimov will stay in the KHL for another year, signing a one-year contract with Dinamo Riga. The Blackhawks own Nalimov’s NHL rights in perpetuity, but if they weren’t willing to give him a chance this season without much talent and experience in net themselves, it seems unlikely that the two sides will ever get together.
- The New Jersey Devils are on a more strict timeline to make a decision on prospect forward Nikita Popugaev. The 2017 fourth-round pick, whose skill is clear but whose work ethic is suspect, spent last season on an AHL contract with the Binghamton Devils but played exclusively in the ECHL with the Adirondack Thunder. He returned to Russia this off-season and signed with the KHL’s Dinamo Moscow. However, after a brief demotion, he has now been traded to Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk, the team announced. The Devils have until June 1st to decide if they want to sign Popugaev or lose his rights and a change of scenery mid-season won’t make that evaluation any easier.
- The Edmonton Oilers face a similar situation with forward Bogdan Yakimov. Yakimov, a 2013 third-round pick, spent parts of two season in the Oilers’ organization shortly after being drafted, but only saw one NHL game. He has spent the past five seasons, including this year, back in the KHL. His current contract expires at the end of this season and his NHL rights expire on his 27th birthday in October, so both sides have limited time to decide if they are interested in a second chance. Potentially helping the cause is Yakimov’s inability to stay put in the KHL. For the second time already this year, Yakimov has been traded, as HK Sochi announced that they have acquired Yakimov from SKA St. Petersburg, who had only added him in a deal with Severstal Cherepovets in May. Yakimov’s size and two-way focus may be better appreciated back in North America and the promise of some consistency, even if that comes in Bakersfield instead of Edmonton, may appeal to the veteran center.
- The University of Minnesota has gained a major commitment in U.S. National Team Development Program defenseman Ryan Chesley. The U-17 standout announced that he will join the Gophers when he begins his NCAA career. A 2022 NHL Draft prospect, Chesley still has another year with the USNTDP to go before he likely enrolls at Minnesota. In that time, his prospect stock could continue to climb; the 16-year-old is a right-shot defenseman with decent size scoring at better than a point-per-game pace this year, checking a number of major boxes for NHL scouts.
Dawson Mercer Agrees To Terms With New Jersey Devils
Though he can’t actually sign because he’s locked away in the World Junior Championship bubble, Dawson Mercer has agreed to terms on his three-year entry-level contract with the New Jersey Devils.
Mercer, the 18th overall pick this fall, is a returning player for Canada at the WJC after winning gold with the team last year. He wasn’t able to register a single point during that tournament, but he should be asked to do much more this time around (especially now that Kirby Dach has been ruled out). The Chicoutimi Sagueneens star has seven points in five QMJHL games this season and will likely return to junior after the tournament ends.
A shifty, dynamic playmaker, the 19-year-old winger should be able to transition to the professional level easily if given offensive minutes and powerplay time. There doesn’t need to be any rush for that though as he focuses on winning a second gold medal and then (hopefully) completing his junior season. The entry-level deal will not actually kick in this season, sliding forward instead as long as he doesn’t play in seven NHL games.
Mackenzie Blackwood Re-Signs With New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils have signed restricted free agent goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to a new three-year contract. The deal will pay the young netminder $1.475MM in 2020-21, $2.8MM in 2021-22 and $4.125MM in 2022-23 for an average annual value of $2.8MM. Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald explained just what Blackwood means to the organization:
Mackenzie is going to be one of the key young, core pieces for this organization for a long time and we are excited and extremely happy to have him under contract. He’s obviously shown that he can be a number one goalie, and the sky’s the limit for him.
The sky is the limit indeed. The 24-year-old Blackwood was selected 42nd overall in 2015 and has slowly but surely worked his way up the ladder to become a starting goaltender in the NHL. In 2018-19 he appeared in 23 games for the Devils, posting a .918 save percentage and going 10-10 on a dreadful team. Last season the Devils still struggled, but Blackwood was a bright light in the darkness, posting a .915 and a 22-14-8 record. Remember that New Jersey went 28-29-12 overall, meaning the team won only six games all year without Blackwood in the crease.
That kind of reliance might not be necessary this season as the Devils brought in Corey Crawford to serve as a tandem option during a shortened season. The 35-year-old Crawford is still an effective netminder and can help take some of the pressure off Blackwood this year, while still serving as a capable backup in a regular 82-game 2021-22 season.
New Jersey will be spending quite a bit on goaltending, even if it pales in comparison to places like Montreal and Florida who have spent big in recent years. Not only will Crawford carry a $3.9MM hit and Blackwood this $2.8MM, but the Devils will also still owe $2MM to Cory Schneider in each of the next four seasons after his October buyout.
At any rate, this is Blackwood’s net to take for the next decade if he wants it. The Devils are trying to build the organization back up to compete with the other Metropolitan powerhouses, who each seem to have their own young goaltending star, and will need the Thunder Bay native to be a big part.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Minor Transactions: 12/21/20
The countdown has begun to the start of the NHL season and as expected there is no shortage of moves being made in response. Combine a slew of recalls from loans with the usual moves from the junior, collegiate, and European levels and there was plenty going on across the hockey world on Monday:
- The Chicago Blackhawks have recalled Pius Suter from Switzerland’s ZSC Lions, the club announced. Suter was signed as a free agent by the Blackhawks this summer after a career year in the NLA. The Swiss forward stayed home when the NHL season was delayed but is finally ready to make his move to Chicago to show that he has what it takes to play in the NHL. The Blackhawks also recalled Swiss prospect Philipp Kurashev from the NLA’s HC Lugano. Kurashev played well in his first AHL season, but Chicago hopes the dynamic forward can take another step forward this year.
- The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled a recent free agent addition of their own in Radim Zohorna. The big power forward had returned to his Czech club, BK Mlada Boleslav, while awaiting the NHL season but will now report to Penguins camp, the team announced. Zohorna faces an uphill battle to crack the NHL roster but the Penguins are excited to see what he can do in the AHL.
- After returning to his former KHL club Dinamo Minsk on loan, Yegor Sharangovich has been recalled by the New Jersey Devils, the team announced. The young forward has played well in the AHL over the past two seasons, but took his game to a new level during his brief stay in Belarus. The Devils hope that is the game that will show up in training camp and at whichever level Sharangovich ends up this season.
- Goaltender Jacob Ingham‘s stint in the ECHL didn’t last long, as the league’s transactions indicate that he has been recalled by the Los Angeles Kings after two games with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits. Ingham didn’t exactly impress in the minors either, but he is still a top prospect who will look to impress in training camp and win the top role in the AHL this season.
- Forward Max Veronneau will not be among the second wave of NHL free agent signings. After just one season in the NHL with the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs, the Princeton product has signed in Sweden. The SHL’s IK Oskarshamn has announced a one-year deal with the skilled forward, who seemingly feels he has a better chance of impressing future NHL suitors overseas than with a season in the AHL.
- QMJHL standout Nathan Legare, a prospect of the Pittsburgh Penguins, is on the move. On the first day that the QMJHL has re-opened trading, Baie-Comeau Drakkar has traded their captain and last season’s leading scorer to the Val-d’Or Foreurs. It’s a hefty return for the prized prospect: a future first-, third-, and a trio of fourth-round picks, as well as rookie forward Justin Sullivan.
- The fallout of the Ivy League’s cancelled winter season extends beyond just this year. Ivy League schools do not use graduate student-athletes, meaning current seniors missing their seasons cannot use their fifth and final year of NCAA eligibility at their current schools. UMass has reaped the benefits with a pair of additions today, as Cornell’s Cam Donaldson and Dartmouth’s Matthew Baker have committed to transferring to Amherst next year, reports Jeff Cox of the New England Hockey Journal.
Russia Finalizes World Junior Roster
Next up, Russia has submitted a final roster for the upcoming World Junior Tournament in Edmonton later this month. As usual for Russia, the roster contains a number of prospect names familiar to NHL fans, but also has a few players who have made their name in their native country but have not been drafted into the NHL. Below is the 2020 Russian entry:
F Mikhail Abramov (TOR)
F Yegor Afanasyev (NSH)
F Rodion Amirov (TOR)
F Zakhar Bardakov (undrafted)
F Daniil Bashkirov (undrafted)
F Yegor Chinakhov (CLB)
F Vladislav Firstov (MIN)
F Arseniy Gritsyuk (NJD)
F Maxim Groshev (TBL)
F Marat Khusnutdinov (MIN)
F Vasili Podkolzin (VAN)
F Vasili Ponomaryov (CAR)
F Ilya Safonov (undrafted)
F Yegor Spirodonov (SJS)
D Roman Bychkov (BOS)
D Daniil Chayka (2021)
D Semyon Chistyakov (NSH)
D Kirill Kirsanov (2021)
D Artemi Knyazev (SJS)
D Yan Kuznetsov (CGY)
D Shakir Mukhamadullin (NJD)
D Yegor Shekhovstov (undrafted)
G Artur Akhtyamov (TOR)
G Yaroslav Askarov (NSH)
G Vsevolod Skotnikov (undrafted)
This is a deeper Russian roster compared to some more recent entries, especially on defense – often a weak area – where arguably every player will be an NHL draft pick by this time next year. The team contains 18 existing NHL selections from 11 different clubs. The Nashville Predators and Toronto Maple Leafs lead the way with three prospects apiece, including several of the team’s best players. The Minnesota Wild, New Jersey Devils, and San Jose Sharks each have two different members of the squad.
Unsurprisingly, all but four of Russia’s selections are currently playing in the country, participating at various levels including the KHL, VHL, and MHL. Abramov and Ponomaryov are currently playing in the QMJHL. Interestingly, the University of Connecticut notes that teammates Firstov and Kuznetsov are the first ever NCAA selections to Russia’s WJC roster.
Salary Cap Deep Dive: New Jersey Devils
Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.
PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2020-21 season. This will focus more on players who are regulars on the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.
New Jersey Devils
Current Cap Hit: $64,304,999 (under the $81.5MM Upper Limit)
Entry-Level Contracts
F Jesper Boqvist (two years, $925K)
F Jack Hughes (two years, $925K)
F Janne Kuokkanen (one year, $812K)
F Michael McLeod (one year, $863K)
Potential Bonuses
Hughes: $2.85MM
Kuokkanen: $32.5K
McLeod: $500K
Total: $3.3825MM
Hughes, the top pick from the 2019 draft, didn’t have a great rookie season but was also making the jump from the USHL which was basically uncharted waters. A lot can change over the next couple of years and if he takes the big step forward offensively that many expect him to, he’ll be able to bypass a bridge deal and get a long-term, big-money deal. Boqvist split last season between the Devils and AHL Binghamton which should have him in the mix for a spot on the fourth line but his offensive numbers will need to improve if he wants to make what he’s getting now on his second deal. McLeod, a 2016 first-round pick, has struggled over his first two professional seasons but with the AHL likely to have an even shorter year than the NHL, keeping him up for an extended look may be best for his development. Kuokkanen was an important part of the Sami Vatanen deal back at the deadline and it’s possible he’s in the mix for a spot at the end of the roster as well.
One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level
D Connor Carrick ($1.5MM, UFA)
F Nikita Gusev ($4.5MM, UFA)
D Dmitry Kulikov ($1.15MM, UFA)
D Ryan Murray ($4.6MM, UFA)
F Kyle Palmieri ($4.65MM, UFA)
F Travis Zajac ($5.75MM, UFA)
While Palmieri isn’t the highest-paid player on this list, that won’t be the case for much longer. Since joining the Devils, he has emerged as a consistent goal scorer, potting between 24 and 30 goals over his five seasons with the team. While the current free agent market hasn’t been particularly kind to wingers this offseason, New Jersey is in a position where they can afford to pay above market value to ensure they keep him around and not lose a big part of their attack to free agency. If he does make it to the open market though, he should have no shortage of suitors though how many will be able to afford him (a standard caveat that is going to apply for a few years for any UFA of note) remains to be seen.
Zajac has been a fixture in New Jersey’s lineup for the past 14 seasons but his time as a top-six center has come and gone. With an abundance of younger options down the middle, it wouldn’t be surprising if he finds himself elsewhere in 2021-22 at about a third of what he costs now although GM Tom Fitzgerald could try to keep Zajac around in a mentor role as well. Gusev had a bit of a shaky start to his NHL career last season but eventually became a productive player in their top six. Given his limited track record, predicting his next contract is a bit trickier but he’ll need to improve on his offensive numbers to have a shot at a raise.
Murray was brought in as a cap dump from Columbus and lands in a good spot where he’ll help stabilize their top four, provided he can stay healthy. That’s a huge if based on his career and even if he stays healthy this season, his history of being injured will certainly limit his market although Chris Tanev, an oft-injured blueliner, was able to still land a four-year, $18MM deal this offseason. As things stand, that’s around what he should be targeting as things stand. Carrick has had a limited role since joining the Devils and will likely be the sixth or seventh defender again. That’s a high price tag for that spot on the depth chart and he’ll be hard-pressed to land that on his next deal. Kulikov was overpaid with Winnipeg but he did log 20 minutes a game and hold his own last season. This was a decent under the radar move for the Devils and he could have an opportunity to rebuild his value with them this coming season.
Two Years Remaining
D Will Butcher ($3.733MM, UFA)
G Corey Crawford ($3.9MM, UFA)
D P.K. Subban ($9MM, UFA)
F Miles Wood ($2.75MM, RFA)
F Pavel Zacha ($2.25MM, RFA)
Wood has seen his production taper off slightly the last couple of years and instead of looking like a possible top-six winger, he’s settled in as more of a third liner. He’s still an effective player and is one of the quicker players in the league but he’s owed a $3.5MM qualifying offer when this deal is up and that price tag is looking a little high as things stand. Zacha hasn’t lived up to his draft billing yet (sixth overall in 2015) but he has taken some small steps forward the last couple of years. Long term, he probably profiles no higher than a third-line center at this point and a $3MM qualifier for someone in that role is justifiable although he probably doesn’t stand to make much more than that on his next deal.
Subban was brought in last offseason from Nashville as the Predators were looking to free up salary and his return to the Eastern Conference wasn’t the greatest. He struggled to the worst offensive season of his career while he actually saw less ice time than he was getting with the Preds on a team where the expectation was that he’d be their top defender. It’s a bad-value contract but one that they can afford. He’s looking at a sizable dip in pay on his next contract. Butcher also had a tough year offensively, putting up career-low numbers which isn’t ideal for someone billed as an offensive defenseman. Getting back to his rookie production (44 points) is what he’ll need if he wants a shot at cashing in on a long-term deal.
Crawford signed with New Jersey in free agency after he and Chicago weren’t able to come to terms on a new deal with term being a sticking point. At this point, he’s a short-term bridge goalie and a bit above-average for that role. His contract reflects both of those factors and is a pretty good deal for the Devils.
Three Years Remaining
F Andreas Johnsson ($3.4MM, UFA)
D Damon Severson ($4.17MM, UFA)
Johnsson was also brought in as a cap casualty as Toronto needed to free up room this offseason. He is coming off an injury-riddled season but has a 20-goal year under his belt. Based on the market last offseason, he’s on a fair-market deal.
Severson’s contract is slowly turning into a bargain as he has settled in nicely on their top pairing and led the team in ATOI last season. While his offensive game may not get to that next tier, it doesn’t need to in order to justify that price tag. A top-pairing player making number four money is nice value even if he should be in a lower spot on the depth chart.
Jack Hughes, Alexis Lafreniere Will Not Be Released For WJC
5:00pm: As if in response, Hockey Canada has announced that Alexis Lafreniere will also not be released to the tournament. Lafreniere will instead focus on training and preparing for the upcoming season with the New York Rangers, where he is expected to step right into a prominent role. After narrowly escaping major injury at the tournament last year, but still earning MVP honors and taking home the gold medal, it seems reasonable for the Rangers to want to keep Lafreniere at home,
3:37pm: Though it doesn’t come as much of a surprise, Jack Hughes will not be released to USA Hockey for the upcoming World Junior Championship. Though the program had interest, Darren Dreger of TSN reports that New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald has informed them the star forward will not go this year.
Hughes of course was the first-overall pick in 2019 by the Devils and missed the tournament last year as well thanks to his NHL commitments. Now 19, he is still eligible but doesn’t have a lot to gain from suiting up against the junior-aged players other than getting in some competitive action before the season begins. That’s what the Chicago Blackhawks are hoping for Kirby Dach for instance, who will go for Team Canada despite playing all last season in the NHL.
The Devils have high hopes for the upcoming season and a step forward from Hughes is imperative to any playoff run they may chase. It’s hard to call him anything but a disappointment in year one, with just seven goals and 21 points. That’s not what you hope for from a first-overall pick, but Hughes was always expected to take a little longer because of his slight frame. Off-ice training and practice with the Devils is likely more important to his development than dominating prospects at the World Juniors.
Team USA could potentially lose another talented youngster that has already made his NHL debut, as Dreger also notes that if the league starts up soon Nick Robertson would stay with the Toronto Maple Leafs instead of traveling to Edmonton. Robertson was listed on the preliminary roster and is currently training in Toronto with some Maple Leafs teammates.